Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-08-20
FIRE At SEA.
City of Montreal, of the Inman Line, in
Flames-Thirteen People Supposed to
Have Perished in an Open Boat-Most
of the Passengers Rescued.

NEW YORK, Aug. 10.
The Inman line steamer City of Montreal,
has been destroyed by fire at sea-
She left New York August 9th for Liver
pool, commanded by Captain Land. The
news of the burning of the ship was learned
upon the arrival at Queenstown this morn
ing of the British steamer York City, which
left Baltimore August fourth for London.
This steamer rescued the passengers and
crew of the burned vessel and took them to
Queenstown. 1t is learned that thirteen per
sons perlshed in the flames.
The destruction of the steamer occurred
on the llth inst, five days after she left New
York. boat containing six passengers and
seven members of the crew is missing. The
occupants of the boat are the thirtehn per-
sons reported to have persisted.
The passengers and crew of the City OF
Montreal were taken off the York City by a
tug and landed at Queenstown. All were
accounted for except the thirteen in the miss
ing boat.
1t Is learned that shortly after the passen-
gers had gone TO bed on the night of the 10th.
the ship being in latitude ~ deg. north at
the time, they were aroused by the alarm Of
fire. A scene of confusion ensued and the
passengers were greatly terrified when they
found out the truth of the matter. The
smoke caused bv the fire was suffocatinC
All the passengers dressed and GOT on deck
as quickly as possible and with but little ap
pearance OF panic.
The fire originated in the cotton stored
aft Nine streams Of water were soon work
ing on the flames and the course of the YES
sci was shaped toward Newfoundland 40C
miles dis ant.
The flames spread with great rspidity and
soon had burst with terrific force through the
after hatches, the heat being intense. Il be
coming evident that it was impossible to save
| the ship momentary panic enSued
| The vessel had miscellaneous cargo in
| Guiding 2000 bales # cotton. She had crew
of eighty men. She carried no first class
! passeng RS
LONDON, Aug. l9
The boats, eight in number, four life boats
and four pinnaces, were launched stocked
with provisions
! The flames spread with great ferceness
and efforts to quench them were futile.
| At eight o'clock in the forenoon the pas
| sengers were marshaled on deck preparatory
to entering the boats. Many were weeping.
| The whole were quiet and orderly The
family groups presented sight pitiful to see
as they huddled together in fear and tremb
ling.
mere W as h hSdN} Std IuuiiIuR dliu IL WAS
with great difficulty that the boats were pre-.
vented from being smashed.
The crew worked spendidly and all the
passengers were placed in the boats in com
parativelv short time.
How the boats foate1 with their heavy
loads is mystery. As the last boat put of
from the ship several of the passengers and
crew were seen aft. They had been over.
| looked and we're screaming TO the boats TO
return. They were subsequently rescued
half dead from the smoke and heat
| The masts of ship were seen on the ho-
rizon and ten hours elapsed before it came
near.
The captain of the bark Trabant undertook
to cruise around after the York City left the
scene of the burning steamer There is,
therefore, reason to hope that the MISSING
| boa; has been rescued